This invention relates generally to antennas, and more particularly, to button-based antennas in wireless handheld electronic devices.
Handheld electronic devices such as media players are sometimes constructed with metal cases. Metal cases tend to be more durable than plastic housings and can have a superior appearance.
It may be desirable to include wireless communications capabilities in a handheld electronic device with a metal case. Wireless functionality can be used to download or upload media files, can be used to send and receive messages, and can be used to support wireless telephony.
Metal case materials such as stainless steel have a high conductivity. This poses challenges when designing an antenna. External antenna designs are often unwieldy and can add undesirable bulk and clutter to a handheld device. An internal antenna would be shielded by a high-conductivity case, so internal antenna designs are generally not considered practical in handheld electronic devices with metal cases.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide a satisfactory antenna for a handheld electronic device with a conductive case.